More Americans place importance on a Republican-backed approach
to a tax deal that would avert the looming fiscal cliff, according to a new Gallup poll.

The poll finds that 70 percent of Americans say that "simplifying
the tax code to lower rates and eliminate deductions and
loopholes" is either an extremely or very important task for
President Barack Obama in his second term. Another 23 percent say
it's somewhat important.

By contrast, only 47 percent say it's an extremely or very
important priority for Obama to raise taxes on households incomes
of more than $250,000.

Obama has signaled that he is willing to compromise with
Congressional Republicans on a tax deal, but a central part of
his plan involves the increase on top earners.

This is a different measure from other recent polls that have
shown that the public favors increasing taxes on
$250,000-plus incomes. Those polls did not provide a point of
comparison on loopholes.

Gallup's Lydia Saad writes that public opinion could be a boon
for Obama:

A key proposal from Obama's first term -- and one he brought up
again in his acceptance speech last week -- is raising taxes on
Americans earning more than $250,000 a year. While less than half
of Americans consider this a highly important goal, another 24%
call it somewhat important, indicating the public may not resist
it. However, a much larger proportion is in favor of tax reform
that lowers tax rates and eliminates deductions and loopholes --
more along the lines of what Romney was proposing. The partisan
lines are deeply drawn on these issues, possibly foreshadowing
another epic budget battle in Washington.